Teams facing 'crazy' Dubai travel plans for semis

Australia and South Africa will travel to Dubai before the Champions Trophy semi-finals, despite not knowing if they will play there or in Pakistan.Dubai will host the first semi-final on Tuesday with the second match played in Lahore, Pakistan, a day later.India, who are guaranteed to progress from Group A, are playing all of their matches in Dubai after opting not to travel to Pakistan.Group B concludes with South Africa's match against England on Saturday but neither the Proteas or Australia will know the venue for their semi-final until after the conclusion of India's match against New Zealand on Sunday.Were they to wait until Monday and only travel when the fixtures were confirmed, that would rule out the possibility of training in Dubai – where India will have played all three group matches.It raises the prospect of Australia taking the three-hour flight from Lahore to Dubai on Saturday, only to have to fly back on Monday if they do not meet India.Similarly, South Africa will fly to Dubai in the early hours of Sunday and could return to Pakistan 24 hours later if they do not have to face India.
Whichever team finishes second in Group A will meet the winner of Group B and vice-versa. India are guaranteed to play the first semi-final on Tuesday regardless of their group position, however.There has been criticism throughout the tournament of the advantage India hold by playing all of their matches at the venue.Others have played across the four venues in Pakistan and Dubai."If you can stay in one place, stay in one hotel, practice in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, on the same pitches every time, it's definitely an advantage," South Africa batter Rassie van der Dussen said earlier this week."I don't think you have to be a rocket scientist to know that."BBC chief cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew said: "India are camped out in Dubai, playing in the same ground and same places in the changing room. "Both Australia and South Africa will fly to Dubai but only one will play there and the other will get back on a plane to Lahore. It's all got a bit crazy."

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Daily Mail​

43 minutes ago

• Daily Mail​

NRL legends rip into footy star for shocking mid-game act: 'He should get a job on Neighbours'

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Scottish Sun

an hour ago

• Scottish Sun

Prince Harry ‘will invite King Charles & William to next Invictus Games' – but it clashes with key royal event

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PRINCE Harry is set to invite King Charles and William to the next Invictus games, insiders claim. The Duke of Sussex, 40, could extend the olive branch to his estranged family at the 2027 event, although it clashes with a key royal bash. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 It is understood Prince Harry has extended Invictus Games invitations to King Charles and William Credit: AFP 6 It could mark the biggest steps towards reconciliation so far Credit: Getty 6 The trio at the first ever Invictus Games in 2014 Credit: Getty As reported by the Mail on Sunday, Harry has drawn up the invitations three years in advance to give the King as much time as possible to fit it into his busy schedule. A source claimed: "Harry has agreed that Invictus should extend an invitation to his family. "Invictus hopes the Royal Family will come along to support the wounded veterans taking part. Harry is hopeful his father will set aside their differences to attend the Invictus Games and support veterans. "The Royals have always been hugely supportive of Invictus and proud of what Harry has achieved in that arena. This is one olive branch from him which might be reciprocated." If the Monarch and his eldest son were to attend it could mark the biggest step towards reconciliation so far. It comes after the Duke revealed in his bombshell BBC interview last month that "life is precious" and "I would like to get my father and brother back". Royal expert Ingrid Seward said: "The King might attend to show support for the Armed Forces and congratulate Harry on the most significant success in his life. "The only reason the King is wary of associating with his son is that he no longer trusts him not to repeat their private conversations as he has done in the past. "This goes for all the working members of the family." It is understood the invitations to Charles and Wills have already been approved by Harry and sent. Prince Harry practices his German as he shares video message to mark country's first Veteran's Day But, despite three years notice, the Invictus invite is still set to clash with a major royal event. The ceremony will kick off at Birmingham's NEC on July 12, 2027, and will conclude on July 17. This falls on the same day as Queen Camilla's 80th birthday, an occasion sure to be celebrated by the royals. A spokesman for Invictus said: "No formal invitations have been issued as preparations are in the early stages." It is not known whether Harry's wife Meghan Markle would also be in attendance after the Duke lost his security bid last month. He begged "my life is stake" as he appealed against the withdrawal of his publicly-funded security while in the UK. This comes after Harry said a reconciliation with his family lay in Charles' hands. Speaking to the BBC, the Duke said there is no reason to keep fighting - but that the King won't speak to him over his security row. Harry said Charles "won't speak to me because of this security stuff", after loosing an appeal battle to keep his privately-funded security. "I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious", Harry continued. Harry also sensationally blamed the King for his woes and claimed "this whole thing could be resolved through him". The Duke moaned it was "impossible" to bring his family to the UK and that it is "sad" that he won't be able to show his children his homeland. Harry's row started after he stopped being a working royal in 2020, moved with wife Meghan to California, and wrote his bombshell book Spare. He added in the interview: "Of course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. "Of course, they will never forgive me for lots of things. "But you know, I would love reconciliation with my family. "I've always, there's no point in continuing to fight anymore. "And I said, life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has he, he won't speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile." There was hope for reconciliation last year when Harry travelled to the UK to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of his Invictus Games. However, the King and Harry failed to meet due to the Monarch's "full programme". And the Duke was offered to spend his time at one of the royal apartments - however he turned it down in what was branded a snub to his father. Meanwhile, Princes William and Harry have not been in direct communication since the release of Harry's controversial memoir, Spare, in January 2023. Their last reported interaction was during the funeral of their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022, but conversations were said to be brief. ​ The feuding brothers reportedly did not speak to each other despite standing 'virtually back to back' among mourners at their uncle's memorial service last year. The brothers have been at loggerheads since Harry and wife Meghan quit royal duty in 2020 for a new life in the US, where they have launched a succession of barbs at the Royal Family. Growing up, Wills and Harry shared many of the same friends who were part of their close, tight-knit circle. But their relationship took a sour turn after Harry lobbed vile allegations against the Prince of Wales in his memoir Spare. In the book, he claimed William had physically attacked him and knocked him to the floor in 2019 and made insulting comments about Meghan. The Sussexes had also targeted Princess Kate, when Meghan claimed the royal made her cry. The bitter feud was ignited with full force when the Sussexes told Oprah, in their 2021 sit down interview, that certain members of the Royal Family had speculated about Prince Archie's skin colour. It was later claimed the royals were Princess Kate and King Charles, after Harry and Meghan's former pal Omid Scobie published his hatchet-job book Endgame. During the infamous Oprah interview, the duchess also made stinging comments about the Firm and how they handled her mental health struggles. Prince William and Harry's bond then worsened after the Sussexes made a number of accusations against the Royal Family in their 2022 Netflix docuseries. The duke has given subsequent interviews, such as his most recent BBC chat, that have only propelled bad blood. A timeline of Prince Harry's family feud IN 2018, the Sun told how "simmering tension The first hints of friction reportedly came after William was introduced to Meghan when she was staying at Kensington Palace. Once she'd returned home to Canada, William and Harry sat down for a brother-to-brother chat. He knew Harry was already head-over-heels for her but it has been claimed he advised him to take it slowly. The younger prince reportedly didn't take too kindly to the advice, with one royal source saying he "went mental". Then in June 2019 Harry and Meghan officially split off from the charity they shared with William and Kate. The Royal Foundation will be divided between the Sussexes and Cambridges as the couples focus on their own separate charitable endeavours. Prince William and Prince Harry first established the Royal Foundation in 2009 before Kate joined two years later shortly after their engagement was announced. The trio would often appear together at events and the Foundation had huge successes with projects like the Invictus Games for injured veterans and the mental health Heads Together campaign. The Royal Foundation said the decision was made following the conclusion of a review into its structure - but added both couples will continue to work together in the future. Harry and Meg were living in close proximity to Kate and Wills within the Kensington Palace estate, but they switched to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor before baby Archie was born. The move further increased rumours of a fallout. Harry also hinted in his ITV documentary "Harry and Meghan, An African Journey" that he and his brother had grown apart. In 2021, Harry and Meghan give their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey where Harry accused his dad of cutting him off financially. Harry then jetted back to UK to join William in unveiling a statue to their mother Princess Diana in the grounds of Kensington Palace. But sources claimed William didn't want to attend the memorial amid their ongoing rift. In 2022, just before their grandmother the Queen died, sources claimed Kate acts as a "peacemaker" between the brothers. Harry claimed his brother "knocked him to the floor" during an argument about Meghan, in his memoir. In Spare, Harry said William branded Meghan "rude" and "difficult" during a row. Harry alleged William "grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and … knocked me to the floor". He said he was left with a visible injury to his back following the argument in 2019 at Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace, where he was living at the time. In January 2024, Harry flew in to be with Charles after the monarch's shock cancer diagnosis. Harry flew back to the US the following day - without seeing Wills. 6 It is not known whether Meghan would be in attendance at the Invictus Games too Credit: instagram 6 The brothers used to share a close bond together, with their father

Daily Mirror

an hour ago

• Daily Mirror

Gary Lineker's downfall at the BBC was 'inevitable' insists TV legend

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